Monthly Archives: September 2013

Weekend link dump for September 22

Posted on September 22, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Happy Day After Equinox, everybody! The pros and cons of charging for autographs. There’s now an app for ordering Big Macs, if you’re into that sort of thing. Some alternate expressions for “Jumping the Shark”. The wildcard tiebreaker scenarios as … Continue reading →

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Chron overview of District A

Posted on September 22, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

It must be getting close to the start of Election Season, because the first of the Chronicle’s local race overviews has been published. Since winning a seat on the Houston City Council two years ago, Helena Brown has become known … Continue reading →

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More Democratic statewide possibilities

Posted on September 22, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From this story about Democratic hopes for Wendy Davis’ presumed gubernatorial candidacy comes these tidbits about who else might be on the ticket with her. State Sen. Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio, told Express-News columnist Gilbert Garcia this month that he … Continue reading →

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Improving bike-to-transit

Posted on September 22, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I wish them luck. A group of Rice University students is working with various community groups and Metropolitan Transit Authority officials to better integrate cycling and public transit, as the city’s bike-sharing system prepares for another expansion. Make no mistake: … Continue reading →

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The feral hogs of Kingwood

Posted on September 22, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

They’re everywhere. Kingwood communities that are battling feral hogs could be in it for the long haul, experts say. The huge, fearless cousins of domestic pigs have been roaming through the affluent northern suburb for at least a month, said … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: All Along The Watchtower

Posted on September 21, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Song #2 on the Popdose Top 100 Covers list is “All Along The Watchtower”, originally by Bob Dylan and covered by Jimi Hendrix. For the umpteenth time, I can say I’d never heard the original before now. Honestly, I’m a … Continue reading →

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Leila Feldman resigns as HCC Trustee

Posted on September 21, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Leila Feldman was appointed by the HCC Board of Trustees in February to fill the seat that had been vacated by the resignation of Richard Schechter the month before. Feldman subsequently decided not to run for a full term this … Continue reading →

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Restricting abortion has always been about restricting abortion

Posted on September 21, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Claims that it’s about “protecting women” have always been baloney. In their successful push this summer for strict new regulations on abortion facilities and the doctors performing them, proponents of the legislation said it was needed because conditions at existing … Continue reading →

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Anyone remember the Comets?

Posted on September 21, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Not much to remember them by. Five years ago Sunday, the Comets played their final game. There were no balloons, no confetti, no celebration. There weren’t even fans. The final game the WNBA team played was at Strahan Coliseum in … Continue reading →

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Bishop Gene Robinson coming to Houston

Posted on September 21, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From the Inbox: For Immediate Release September 20, 2013 Contact: Houston Americans United Toni Medellin 832.868.4586 FIRST OPENLY GAY EPISCOPAL BISHOP TO ADDRESS HOUSTON CHAPTER OF AMERICANS UNITED  Bishop Gene Robinson Will Weigh In On Religious Liberty, Tolerance At Meeting … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: Cool for cats

Posted on September 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Last week dogs, this week cats. 1. The Cat Came Back – Flying Fish Sailors 2. Cat Scratch Fever – Hayseed Dixie 3. Cat’s Game – Greg Camp 4. Cool For Cats – Chris Difford 5. The Eleven Cats Of … Continue reading →

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You sure you want to attack early voting?

Posted on September 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Greg notes the leading edge of vote suppression efforts, an attack on early voting by Phyllis Schafly. “The reduction in the number of days allowed for early voting is particularly important because early voting plays a major role in Obama’s … Continue reading →

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AG won’t sue over San Antonio non-discrimination ordinance

Posted on September 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Mighty decent of him. Citing a late change in the nondiscrimination ordinance that San Antonio recently passed, a spokesman for the Texas attorney general’s office said the state is now unlikely to file suit. A clause that disallowed appointed city … Continue reading →

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DeLay gets off

Posted on September 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Bummer. Former U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay’s political money laundering conviction was overturned by the state’s 3rd Court of Appeals on Thursday. “Based on the totality of the evidence, we conclude that the evidence presented does not support a conclusion that … Continue reading →

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School finance trial still moving ahead

Posted on September 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Ready or not, here it comes again. A Travis County District Judge has decided to move forward with the state’s school finance trial despite some wavering about re-opening the case. Earlier this month Travis County District Judge John Dietz revisited … Continue reading →

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Third lawsuit filed against the voter ID law

Posted on September 19, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The more, the merrier. Two groups representing minority voters and officeholders sued to block the state’s new Voter ID law, which will be used for the first time in a statewide Texas election this November — barring intervention by a … Continue reading →

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Standing up for science

Posted on September 19, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Sure hope it did some good. A past Texas State Board of Education chairman and outspoken creationist urged his former colleagues on Tuesday to approve high school biology textbooks he said would “strike a final blow to the teaching of … Continue reading →

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CCA turnover

Posted on September 19, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Nobody is running for re-election on the Court of Criminal Appeals. All three Texas Court of Criminal Appeals judges whose terms expire in 2014 — one-third of the nine-member panel — have elected not to seek another term, setting the … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of September 16

Posted on September 19, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance thinks any day we’re not dropping bombs on someone is a pretty good day as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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Interview with Ben Mendez

Posted on September 18, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

My third and at least for now final interview in District I is with Ben Mendez. I’ve sent two emails to Leticia Ablaza and left two voice mail messages to arrange an interview, but as of this writing we have … Continue reading →

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We need you, Leticia

Posted on September 18, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Please decide soon. Leticia Van de Putte did not announce her candidacy for lieutenant governor when she addressed the Bexar County Young Democrats on Wednesday night. But it was the way Van de Putte didn’t announce it that provided encouragement … Continue reading →

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Perry keeps asking for the same Medicaid waiver he hasn’t gotten in the past

Posted on September 18, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Same as it ever was. Gov. Rick Perry is preparing for yet another battle in his war against Obamacare. In a letter to the state’s health agency on Monday, the governor laid out his plan to request a federal waiver … Continue reading →

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Uber and insurance

Posted on September 18, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Fascinating. Shortly before midnight on a Tuesday night in March, a black Lincoln Town Car was heading south on Divisadero Street in San Francisco at the same time a Dodge Charger was approaching from the opposite direction. The accident that … Continue reading →

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Interview with Robert Gallegos

Posted on September 17, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Next up in District I is Robert Gallegos. Gallegos works for the Harris County Sheriff’s Department, having previously been a Community Liaison for then-County Commissioner Sylvia Garcia. Before his stint in government service, he spent 25 years in Logistics Sales … Continue reading →

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Experts agree: Suburban women the key for Wendy

Posted on September 17, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

UH political science professor Richard Murray says so. Nationally, Democrats have done pretty well in recent elections in large part because they run so strongly with women. In 2012, for example, former Governor Mitt Romney beat President Barack Obama 52 … Continue reading →

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Once again, voter ID is a non-solution to a non-problem

Posted on September 17, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Greg Abbott’s record is all the proof you need of this. Attorney General Greg Abbott champions a requirement for voters to show photo identification to prevent ballot fraud. But such a rule would have deterred just a few of the … Continue reading →

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So what is the capacity of the Katy Freeway these days?

Posted on September 17, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This story was about the increase in the toll on the managed lanes of the Katy Freeway, but there was a tidbit at the end that caught my eye. When officials started widening the freeway in 2003, at an eventual … Continue reading →

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Interview with Graci Garces

Posted on September 16, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The final open District Council seat is in District I, where CM James Rodriguez is termed out. Four candidates vie to succeed him, including one from 2011. The first candidate for review here is Graci Garces. Garces is the Chief … Continue reading →

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Lambda Legal challenges Texas Military Forces on benefits

Posted on September 16, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Good. An LGBT legal group has given the Texas National Guard 10 days to respond to its request that it begin enrolling same-sex spouses of service members into the federal Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) at its facilities. DEERS … Continue reading →

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Perry’s empty job-stealing tour continues

Posted on September 16, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Sorry, Maryland. Gov. Rick Perry is taking aim at Maryland and its business climate — his latest effort to lure out-of-state companies to Texas. In a radio advertisement, Perry slams Gov. Martin O’Malley, a Democrat who is considering a presidential … Continue reading →

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HISD candidate sues to get back on the ballot

Posted on September 16, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I missed this when it first happened. Anthony Madry, a former administrator in the Houston Independent School District, filed a petition with the 14th Court of Appeals this week after HISD rejected his application to run for the school board. … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for September 15

Posted on September 15, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

How to recognize and avoid falling victim to phishing attacks. If you don’t know what “phishing” is (it has nothing to do with these guys), you definitely need to click that link. You want to know why some people are … Continue reading →

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We must destroy the pensions in order to save them

Posted on September 15, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

There’s so much wrong with this I almost don’t know where to begin. Houston is the Titanic – it certainly looks impressive, but icebergs lie ahead. That’s the image that mayoral candidate Ben Hall drew when he talked to the … Continue reading →

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Villarreal not running for Comptroller

Posted on September 15, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

One name off the board. State Rep. Mike Villarreal said Wednesday he has decided against a statewide run for comptroller and will instead campaign for re-election in San Antonio’s District 123. Villarreal said he has been encouraged by Democrat activists … Continue reading →

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